Tributes to beloved mum who died after devastating diagnosis
28.02.2024 - 11:03
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The family of a Yorkshire mum who died after she was handed a devastating diagnosis have shared how much they miss her in a touching tribute. Betty Heywood, 54, from Bradford was the heart and soul of her family.
Her youngest daughter, 23-year-old Annmarie Heywood, said "a void has been left in our family" after her mum died on Saturday, February 24.
Betty was first told she had cancer in her right breast in December 2022. She beat it, but then the cancer came back and spread to her abdomen a year later, YorkshireLive reports.
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Annmarie shared that her mum always stayed happy and didn't let cancer get her down. "My mum didn't allow any negativity into her life. She didn't let cancer dwell on her mind. She was a very positive person and she was completely selfless - she never took the time of day for herself," she said.
Even when things were tough, Betty kept her sense of humour. Annmarie remembers her mum joking, "She had a right good laugh about it, she'd say 'at least I get to keep my hair, that's a positive sign' and when she found out she was clear of cancer in her leftbreast, she'd say 'Oh brilliant, at least my left boob doesn't have it but everywhere else does' - she always tried to remain positive and she was just so comical."
“Her positivity helped us to cope as a family, but we’re all devastated,” Annmarie added. “We can all feel that there’s a void there.” Betty has left behind five children, two sons aged 37 and 34, three daughters aged 33, 32 and 23, along with ten grandchildren.
Betty was the third woman in her family to battle cancer, which she faced bravely up until her passing, just two months before her 55th birthday